ARTICLES ABOUT AFRICA BY DATE - PAGE 5

MTHATHA, South Africa (Reuters) - When the world's top three platinum firms opted to tackle South Africa's worst mining strike by sidestepping the militant AMCU union, they faced a huge logistical challenge: how to contact 70,000 men spread across the country and cowed by violence. With many workers sitting out the four-month strike at home in rural areas such as the Eastern Cape, the answer was a two-pronged approach combining ancient and modern - a reflection of the split personality of Africa's most developed economy.

MARIKANA, South Africa (Reuters) - About 1,000 stick-wielding protesters torched roadside vegetable stalls as they marched near Lonmin's Marikana mine in South Africa on Tuesday, according to a Reuters reporter at the scene. Thousands of striking miners in platinum belt are expected to return to work this week, in defiance of orders from their union leaders amid worries that those who return could be attacked. (Reporting by Zandi Shabalala; writing by Tiisetso Motsoeneng; editing by David Dolan)

PRETORIA (Reuters) - South African President Jacob Zuma promised on Saturday to push through business-friendly reforms, signaling he would use a sweeping election victory to pursue economic growth in the face of leftist opposition. His vows to create jobs and ramp up infrastructure projects came after his ruling ANC government dispatched its armed forces to quell post-election unrest in a Johannesburg slum, one of its more visible crack-downs on disorder in recent memory. Burdened with sluggish economic growth and damaging strikes in his first term, the scandal-hit Zuma is at pains to soothe investor concerns about Africa's most developed economy.

PRETORIA (Reuters) - South Africa's 2014 election has given the ruling ANC government a mandate to pursue "inclusive economic growth and job creation," President Jacob Zuma said on Saturday. Zuma addressed the nation following the release of the official results of South Africa's fifth post-apartheid polls, in which his African National Congress won just over 62 percent. (Reporting by Ndundu Sithole; Writing by David Dolan; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Slipping from its perch as the continent's biggest economy could well be the jolt South Africa's new government needs to seriously tackle the restrictive labor laws, power shortages and other obstacles that have been crimping direct investment. President Jacob Zuma's government is putting a brave face on Nigeria taking over the top spot, and can take consolation from far superior infrastructure and liquid financial markets that rake in billions of dollars in portfolio flows.

ABUJA (Reuters) - Heineken plans capital expenditure of 500 million euros ($690 million) a year in Africa over the next few years to maintain sales growth, a senior executive at the world's third largest brewer told Reuters on Friday. The money will be used to upgrade production facilities and on training, said Siep Hiemstra, Heineken's president for Africa and Middle East. Africa accounts for one-fifth of Heineken's business and is growing fast, he said. "We are strong believers in the growth of Africa, the economies of Africa, the consumer base, the middle class.

ABUJA (Reuters) - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang pledged "no strings" support for an African plan to develop a continent-wide high speed rail network, and said China has set aside $2 billion for an African Development Fund. China would also support Africa's plans to boost its aviation and telecoms sectors. "All China's support for Africa will come with no political strings attached," Li said. "We will not interfere with Africa's internal affairs or ask something impossible of Africa.

PRETORIA (Reuters) - The ruling African National Congress (ANC) swept toward victory in South Africa's fifth post-apartheid election on Thursday, handing President Jacob Zuma the clout to push through pro-business reforms in the face of union and leftist opposition. Burdened with sluggish economic growth and damaging strikes in his first term, the scandal-plagued Zuma has devoted less and less time over the last year to the wishes of unions, whose long walkouts have hit confidence in Africa's most developed economy.

BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese Premier Li Keqiang unveiled extra aid for Africa totalling at least $12 billion on Monday, and offered to share advance technology with the continent to help with development of high-speed rail, state media reported. Li pledged the additional funding in a speech at the Organisation of African Union headquarters in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. China will increase credit lines to Africa by $10 billion and will boost the China-Africa Development Fund by $2 billion, bringing it to a total of $5 billion, Li said, according to the official Xinhua news agency.